Allez HR Bloghttp://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk
Authored by an HR Consultant in SwindonThu, 30 May 2013 12:15:40 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2Presentation hot tips for the true professionalhttp://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/05/presentation-hot-tips-for-the-true-professional/
http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/05/presentation-hot-tips-for-the-true-professional/#commentsThu, 30 May 2013 12:13:25 +0000alisonhttp://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/?p=841. Know that less is more

We’re constantly being bombarded with information at every turn, so it pays to keep things brief.

2. Keep it relevant

Keep the mood fresh and engaging, invite questions and audience participation, and if you have a longer presentation, incorporate an activity or exercise that gets people involved while driving home a key point.

3. Be enthusiastic

Likeable people keep us interested and engaged and enthusiasm is contagious.

4. Know when to hold ‘em

It is positively baffling how many speakers and presenters don’t know how to simply and effectively use PowerPoint. Used properly, these tools can enhance a presentation, drive home key points and
keep the focus where it belongs; on the speaker. Anything else becomes a distraction that leads to boredom.

5. Meat and potatoes

Be sure to structure your presentation so that it has plenty of Meat (subject matter, new information, useful tips) as well as potatoes ( supporting explanations, demonstrations, hands-on experience designed to reinforce the key points.

6. To thine own self be true

Be authentically you and you will win your audience over every time – even if the “real you” isn’t witty, funny or outgoing. Additionally, when you are being yourself, you will find that presenting becomes easier and more natural, since trying to be anything else can only serve to increase your nervousness.

7. Effective use of humour

Humour should enhance your talk and engage your audience. You don’t have to be the next comedian.

8. Breathe

Take some deep breaths during your presentation – this will help keep your head clear and ensure that you maintain true focus.

]]>http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/05/presentation-hot-tips-for-the-true-professional/feed/0How often do you say “no” and mean it?!http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/03/how-often-do-you-say-no-and-mean-it/
http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/03/how-often-do-you-say-no-and-mean-it/#commentsThu, 28 Mar 2013 11:45:56 +0000alisonhttp://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/?p=81You have to learn to say “no”. You can’t always take care of everyone else and if you spend more than half your day on the phone, you’ve got to figure out a way to scale back.

Spending more than 4 hours a day on the phone is taking away from other valuable opportunities. It is literally impossible to be focused 100% on more than one task simultaneously and if your multi-tasking while talking on your phone – someone or something is missing your full attention.

How much time do you spend typing and replying to emails each day? How much of that time is spent on essential emails? By essential I mean emails that are directly related to the execution and completion of the job you do. It is estimated that only 10% to 20% of emails that most people get each day require their attention and are essential to their job. Are you distracted by those Facebook email updates?

One way to reduce this email frenzy is to politely request to your email contacts that you are removed from non-essential bulk emails lists. This can also be applied to your personal email.

]]>http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/03/how-often-do-you-say-no-and-mean-it/feed/0New Tribunal Rules – Summer 2013http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/03/new-tribunal-rules-summer-2013/
http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/03/new-tribunal-rules-summer-2013/#commentsSat, 16 Mar 2013 15:44:13 +0000alisonhttp://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/?p=78The Government has this week announced that it will introduce the new Tribunal Rules of Procedure in Summer 2013.

The Governments consultation on the proposals closed in November 2012. In response to the consultation the Government has set out its plans to “streamline the tribunal process and make it easier for parties to navigate”.

The proposals accepted include:

New strike-out powers to ensure that weak cases that should not proceed to full hearing are halted at the earliest opportunity

Guidance from the Employment Tribunal President to help ensure that judges deal with hearings in a consistent manner which ensures parties know what to expect

Making it easier to withdraw and discuss claims but cutting the amount of paperwork required

An new procedure for preliminary hearings that combines separate pre-hearing reviews and case management discussions. This will reduce the overall number of hearings and lead to a quicker disposal of cases saving time and cost for parties

The new rules will be introduced in the Summer of 2013, in line with the introduction of tribunal fees.

]]>http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/03/new-tribunal-rules-summer-2013/feed/0What does “inappropriate touching” actually mean?http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/03/what-does-inappropriate-touching-actually-mean/
http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/03/what-does-inappropriate-touching-actually-mean/#commentsWed, 13 Mar 2013 15:47:59 +0000alisonhttp://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/?p=7510 or 20 years ago slapping people on the backside might have been brushed off because people didn’t have the courage to challenge it. The attitude was “we’ll just have to put up with it”.

Always remember, context is king when considering impropriety. What is “inappropriate” may lie in the eye of the beholder. People see different types of behaviour differently and may or may not be offended by the same behaviour, so that’s where you have to be more sensitive and alert to the signals people give you.

Head of Equality at ACAS, says there is rarely any reason for co-workers to touch. He adds: “where a mistake has been made, a quick and sincerely meant apology is often the best course of action”.

Businesses should be clear, through policies (Dignity at Work), about what the company will tolerate. You also have to train people and the best time to do that is at induction. Then, when some makes a complaint, an employer can show they proactively took steps to investigate it. But saying “come on live in the real world, that’s just what the client expects” is not going to help them.

This is one of the biggest challenges for HR professionals, to ensure employees are alert to the importance of people treating each other with respect and dignity – it’s fundamental.

Thank you

]]>http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/03/what-does-inappropriate-touching-actually-mean/feed/0Stress busters – Top tipshttp://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/02/stress-busters-top-tips/
http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/02/stress-busters-top-tips/#commentsMon, 25 Feb 2013 08:00:38 +0000alisonhttp://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/?p=72If you’re stressed, whether by your job or by something more personal, the first step to feeling better is to identify the cause. The keys to stress management are building emotional strength, building in control of your situation and having a good social network.

1. Be active – Physical activity can put you in the right frame of mind. Exercise won’t make your stress disappear, but it will reduce some of the emotional intensity that you’re feeling, clearing your thoughts and enabling you to deal with your problems more calmly.

2. Take control – The act of taking control is in itself empowering and it’s a crucial part of finding a solution that satisfies you and not someone else.

3. Connect with people – A problem shared is a problem halved. A good support network of colleagues, friends and family can ease your work troubles and help you see things in a different way.

4. Have some “me” time. The UK works the longest hours in Europe. Those extra hours mean that people aren’t spending enough time doing things that they really enjoy. You should set aside a couple of nights a week for some quality “me” time away from work.

5. Challenge yourself – Setting yourself goals and challenges, whether at work or outside, such as learning a new language or a new sport, helps to build confidence. That in turn will help you deal with stress.

6. Avoid unhealthy habits – Don’t rely on alcohol, smoking and caffeine as your ways of coping. Men are more than women are likely to do this and it is called avoidance behaviour.

7. Do volunteer work – people who help others, through activities such as volunteering or community work, become more resilient. Helping people who are often in situations worse than yours will help you put your problems into perspective.

8. Work smarter, not harder – Good time management means quality rather than quantity. Our long-hours culture is a well-known cause of workplace illness. You have to get a work-life balance that suits you.

9. Be positive – Look for the positives in life, and things for which you’re grateful. Write down three things at the end of every day which went well or for which you’re grateful. By making
a conscious effort you can train yourself to be more positive about life. Problems are often a question of perspective. If you change your perspective, you may see your situation from a more positive point of view.

10. Accept the things that you can’t change – Changing a difficult situation isn’t always possible. If this proves to be the case, recognise and accept things as they are and concentrate on everything that you do have control over.

]]>http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/02/powerful-presentations-top-10-tips/feed/0Blowing the whistle on playground behaviourhttp://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/02/blowing-the-whistle-on-playground-behaviour/
http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/02/blowing-the-whistle-on-playground-behaviour/#commentsTue, 12 Feb 2013 14:17:11 +0000alisonhttp://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/?p=67Assessing remedies for a primary school lunchtime assistant’s dismissal involves human rights and Polkey deductions. This case is a useful guide on how employment tribunals and employers should approach issues which involve a freedom granted by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

Case facts

The claimant in the case Hill v Governing Body of Great Tey Primary School was a lunchtime assistant at a primary school. She became aware that a child had been tied up in the playground and whipped across the legs by other pupils. She told the child’s parents and was suspended. She complained to the press about the suspension and confirmed what she had told the child’s parents. She was dismissed for breaking confidentiality and for acting in a manner likely to bring the school into disrepute.

Employment tribunal decision

Hill won her claim of unfair dismissal at an employment tribunal, although her claim of automatic unfair dismissal on the grounds of making a public interest disclosure (whistle blowing) was rejected. At a remedies hearing, the tribunal found that if a fair procedure had been adopted, the claimant would have been dismissed anyway within two months, and reduced her compensation accordingly (a “Polkey” deduction). The tribunal also reduced her award by 80 per cent for contributory fault (in other words, she was partly to blame for her own dismissal). Hill appealed.

Polkey and ECHR tribunals

Polkey and ECHR tribunals have frequently found employers wanting in their procedures for dismissals which might otherwise have been fair. If the employer could have dismissed the employee fairly, a ‘Polkey’ deduction from an award reflects the chances that the employer would have done so.
Judging the fairness of the dismissal in this case also involved Article 10 of the ECHR, the right to freedom of expression. This right may be limited if “necessary in a democratic society” to protect the reputation of others, or prevent the disclosure of information received in confidence. If dismissing Hill for speaking out to parents and press, and thereby lowering the reputation of the school, curtailed her article 10 freedom, the school being a public authority (with a duty to ensure she had that freedom) would be relevant in assessing the fairness of what occurred.

EAT judgment The Employment Appeal Tribunal said the tribunal had not adopted the correct approach when applying Polkey. The tribunal also erred in its approach to the confidentiality issues in the case by applying its own paraphrase of the qualifications to article 10, rather than the words used in the legislation. The EAT said the tribunal should have..:

identified whether what occurred came under article 10

held that the school, as a public body, had to respect the exercise of the article 10 right, if it did

considered whether restricting the right to the freedom of expression could be justified (two employer aims were potentially legitimate –protecting the reputation of the school, and preventing the disclosure of confidential information)

satisfied itself the restriction on Article 10 was one prescribed by law (for example, a contractual term requiring respect for confidential communications) and was “necessary in a democratic society”.

The EAT allowed the appeal and remitted the case to another employment tribunal to determine the appropriate remedy.

]]>http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/02/blowing-the-whistle-on-playground-behaviour/feed/0First case on Swedish derogationhttp://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/01/first-case-swedish-derogation/
http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2013/01/first-case-swedish-derogation/#commentsTue, 29 Jan 2013 10:13:49 +0000alisonhttp://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/?p=64In a victory for employers, a tribunal has decided agency workers can be switched to new contracts to avoid regulations.

The Agency Workers Regulations 2010, which ensure that agency workers receive basic pay and conditions comparable to the hirer’s employees, contain an important alternative business model.

This option, often referred to as the “Swedish derogation”, excludes workers from certain provisions in the regulations if they are directly employed by their agency and working under ‘pay between assignments’ contracts.

The tribunal found that “assignment” does not refer to the entire period during which agency workers undertake work for a hirer but to a particular assignment. So the new employment contracts were entered into on the legitimate termination of the existing arrangement and before the next assignment for the hirer.

They were accordingly valid under Regulation 10. In other words contract “flipping” was found to be permissible. Equally importantly, the tribunal confirmed that, providing the workers receive the information set out in Regulation 10, they do not need to sign new contracts. Existing contracts can be varied to include these terms.

While this case will be regarded as a victory for many in the recruitment sector who have implemented the Swedish derogation, it seems likely the case will be appealed, as it is only a first instance decision.

This case was where an employee had recorded her own disciplinary hearing and the meetings afterwards, the Employment Appeal Tribunal deliberated on what it thought was “private”.

The EAT concluded that it was reasonable to admit the evidence of the recording of the disciplinary hearing provided the employer had the evidence in advance of the tribunal hearing, in both
transcript form and the original recording, so it could verify the accuracy of the transcription. This was a clear message “don’t do or say anything in a formal meeting that you are not prepared to
stand by”.

However, when it came to the private deliberations having been recorded, the EAT was mindful of the disciplinary panel expected that their conversations were private and that a full and frank exchange of views could take place. The evidence therefore from that part of the recording was not, therefore, admissible.

It is important for managers to remember that meetings should not be expected to be “private” because they think they are “off the record” as they could be aired at a tribunal.

Employment tribunals have a broad discretion to determine what evidence is admissible and result is that evidence will generally be admissible before a tribunal if it is relevant to an issue between the two parties.

The morale to this tale “As a manager you should always assume that you might be recorded and never say anything that you are not prepared to have thrown back at you later”.

]]>http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2012/12/can-an-employee-record-workplace-conversations/feed/0Pensions – Auto Enrollment – Does it affect me as a small business?http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2012/10/pensions-auto-enrollment-does-it-affect-me-as-a-small-business/
http://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/2012/10/pensions-auto-enrollment-does-it-affect-me-as-a-small-business/#commentsWed, 03 Oct 2012 11:11:52 +0000alisonhttp://www.hr-consultant-swindon.co.uk/?p=57Why do we need it?

Basically, we are all living longer and not saving enough money; relying on, an already strained ‘Old Age Pension’!

Who does this affect?

Everyone in work aged between 22 and state pension age who earns more than £8,105 a year who isn’t already in a workplace pension scheme.

When does this start?

The scheme begins on 1st October 2013 for business with more than 120,000 staff

Next, businesses with between 50,000 and 120,000 employees will have to start offering the scheme from 1st November 2013

Small business and those only employing one or two individuals (i.e. a nanny) will have until April 2017

What if I don’t want to join?

This system is about individuals opting out rather than opting in and everyone is free to opt out if they want to. As an individual you will have one month to complete an “opt out notice” and submit it to your employer. Any contributions already made will be returned.